Thread severing and holding mechanism.



E. l. RAY.

THREAD SEVERING AND HOLDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCLZI, 1916.

Patented Apr. 1,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IlmY i Wm/ A' if@ /2 f ru EJ. RAY.

THREAD SIEVERING AND HOLDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 2I. I9Is.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

QM/@Hf E.' J. RAY.

THREAD sEvERlNG AND HOLDING MECHAMSM.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.2I, 1916-. l I

Patentd Apr. 1,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. I., RAY.

THREAD SEVERING AND HOLDINGMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2\I

Patented Apr. iI, 19I9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

POBATION OF NEW JERSEY;

.EUGENE J. RAY, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A COB- THREAD SEVERING AND HOLDING MECHANISMC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 19129.

Application ledOctober 21, 1916. Serial No. 126,902.

To all whom t mag/ concern Be it known that I, EUGENE J. RAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essexand State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread Severing and Holding Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a f'ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the well'adapted forsevering the upper needle thread of a buttonhole making machine at the completion of abuttonhole, and for holding the severed end preparatory .to the sewing of the succeeding buttonhole, and which will operate to sever the thread close to the seam so that the .waste end will not be of sufficient length to be carriedpup through the Work by the sewing mechanism during the sewing of the succeeding buttonhole. y

To this end the invention contemplates the provision of means` :for severing the needle 4thread below the work,and for hold-y ing the severed end above the work. This construction enables the 'thread to be severed comparatively close to the under side of the work, so that the waste end projecting from the end of the seam will not be of sulicient length to reach to-the succeedin buttonhole, and cannot therefore be engage and carried to the upper side of the work by the thread handling devices in sewing the succeeding buttonhole. It also enables the severed end of the thread to be held in a uniformly reliable manner at the beginning of each sewingoperation, so that the proper sewing of each seam is insured.

In embodying the vinvention in a buttonhole making machine which sews about the eye and about the end of a buttonhole, it is preferred to so arrange the threadholder that it presents the waste end of the thread leading to the initial needle hole in position to be covered by the overseam at the beginning o the sewing.v

In addition to the features outlined above,

sectional elevation showing so much of a buttonhole making machine as is necessary to illustrate theembodiment of the invention therein; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the mechanism carried by the turret, and certain parts coperating therewith; Fig. 3' is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, showing the relation of the thread' severing and.

thread holding devicesto the thread, when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 2; Fig: 4L is a view similar4 to Fi 2, showing the parts in a diii'erent positlon; Fig. 5 1s a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the thread severing and holding devices in the positions corresponding to those shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isa detail elevation showing the thread-severing and threadholding mechanism, the 'parts being shown in the positions which they occupy at ythe completion of the sewing; Fig. 7 is a similar View, the parts being shown-in the positionsv which they occupy just previous tothe severing and holding of` the thread; Fig. 8 is a detail view showing a part of the mechanism torl operating the thread-severing device; Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the position of the parts just after the thread severing and holding devices have been operated to sever and hold the thread; Fig. 10 is a'view indicating the position of the thread end and holder as the needle completes its initial downward stroke; Fig. l1 is a sectional plan view on line 11-11' of Fig. 12, showing the threadholder and its operating mechanism; Fig.v 12 is an elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a sectional plan view on line 13413 in Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a section through the bearing for-the threadholder slide; and Fig.' l5 is a detail view of the threadholder slide removed from its bearing. v

ln the drawings the invention is shown as embodied in a buttonhole making machine `having substantially the construction and forming mechanism comprises an upper needle 2 eccentrically mounted in a vertically reciprocating needle bar 4, an under needle 6, and a looper 8. rlhe upper needle bar and the underv needle and looper are mounted respectively in a rotarycarrler 10 and a rotary turret 12, which are rotated during the sewing about the eye and endof a buttonhole. The work isheld by clamps 14 mounted on work-supporting plates `16 which are, in turn, mounted on a clamp carrier 18. The clamp carrier is moved longi- .tudinally to bring the work into registry with the Ibuttonhole cutter o r with the stitchorming mechanism, and to feed the' work during the sewing by a cam groove formed inthe cam gear 20, which lmakes one revolution for each cycle of the machine. The clamp carrier is moved laterally and the 'stitch-forming mechanism is rotated durmg the sewing, from suitable connectlons from a gear 221which makes one revolution during the sewing of the buttonhole. v

At the completion of the sewing of the buttonhole the stitch-forming mechanismv 1s stopped, with the upper and under needles in'their retracted positions and w1th lthe loop of the upper needle thread held by the looper, as ndicated'in Figs. 2, 3, andf6. The upper needle thread is then severed by .a thread cutter which acts upon the loop of needle thread held by the 1ooper, thus severing-the thread comparatlvely close to the end of the seam. At substantially -the same time the thread leading from the eye of the needle to the work is gripped and held by a' threadholder arranged above the work. When the work is removed or spaced for the succeeding buttonhole, the severed thread end held'by the threadholder is withdrawn from the last needle hole, and this end is retained bv the threadholder until the be- .ginning of the next sewing operation. At

the beginning of the next sewing operation the threadholder retains the .end 'of the needle thread until the initial stitches of the seam have' been formed, after which -it is withdrawnfrom the holder bythe feed of the work. 1t is preferred to so arrange the threadholder that the thread leading from' the holderto the initial needle hole will be presented'in a position to be covered by the ,initial stitches of the seam, and in order that the waste end which is thuscovered may be comparatively short, means is provided for causing the needle to draw the surplus thread through the holder during its initial stroke. This is conveniently accomplished by so constructingl or adjusting the devices which throw on t e thread tension at the beginning of the sewing that the the first downward stroke of the needle that the needle will draw the surplus thread through the holder, but will not withdraw the end of the thread from the holder.

In the construction shown, the threadcutting device comprises a hooked cutter blade 24 formed on the forward end of a bar 26 which is mounted to slide in a bracket 28 secured to the turret. The bar is so arranged that, 'when it is advanced, its forward inclinedend will deflect one side of the loop nfv thread about the looper, so that asthe' hooked blade 24 passes beyond the side of the loop the thread will spring into position within the hook and will be severed when the bar is retracted. The mechanism for advancing and retracting the bar comprises a lever 30, one arm of which is provided with teeth engaging rack teeth formed in the side of the bar, and the other end of which is arranged to n be engaged by a dog 32 carried by the clamp carrier 18. The lever 30 is pressed in a direction to retract the cutter bar by a spring 34.- The dog 32 is .held in normal position by a spring 36, and is so arranged that it will yield and pass idly by theV end of the lever 30 during the forward movement of the vclamp carrier, but will engage and operate the lever during. the movement of the clamp carrier in carrying the work from sewing to cutting position, after the sewing ofy a buttonhole has been completed.. The cutter bar will therefore be advanced into .position to act upon the needlethread, or from the positions indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 to the positions indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 as the clamp carrier "is retracted. As the'carrier is retracted beyond the position indicated in Fig. 4, the

dog 32 will disengage the en'd of the lever' 30, thus releasing the lever so that the spring 34 will quicklyretract the cutter bar, and .thus severing the thread. The means for holding the needle thread .above the work comprises a reciprocating lower position by aspring-pressed plunger 50 which may yield lto permit vertical movement of the bearing 40 and threadholder, when engaged by the openin clamps 14. The downward movement o the support is determined by a stop plug 52 which is secured in the bracket 48 by a setscrew 54, and is' arranged to project within a slot 56 formed in the side of the support. rllie threadrecense holder bar is held normally in retracted position by a spring 58, ywhich holds the rear end of the bar against 'a stop plug 6U screwed into the rear end of the bearing.

The mechanism for advancing and retracting the thread-holder bar comprises a rock-shaft 62 mounted within the support 46 and provided at its lower end with a gear segment 64 which engages a rack 66 formed on the side of the' bari. The upper end of the rock-shaft is provided with an arm 68 which projects into the path lof a dog 70 carried on a slide 72. The dog is held in normal position by a spring 74, and

is so arranged that it will yield and passA idly by the arm 68 when the slide 72 moves toward the left in Fig.. 11, but will engage the arm and rock the rock-shaft 62 when the position, after the sewing of the buttonhole has been completed. During this movement of the clamp carrier, the do rocks the rock-shaft 62 and advances t e threadholder bar from the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 to the position indicated 1n Figs. 4 and 5. As the bar advances, its inclined end deflects the thread leading from the last needle hole to the eye of the needle so'that the thread will spring forward into the hooked end of the bar. As the movement of the clamp carrier continues, the dog 70 will passbeyond the arm 68, releasing the arm so that the threadholder bar will be suddenly retracted by the spring 58. The hook 42 will engagethe thread and carry it laterally under the plate 44 so that it will be clamped and held, as indicated in Fig. 9, the end of the thread extending from the clamp-down through the lastneedle hole, from which it will be withdrawn when the work is removed or spaced. rlhe holder will continue to hold the needle thread until the beginning of the next sewing operation.` At the beginning of the sewing operation the tension releasing rod 8O is released by acam ledge on the gear 20, which controls its movement, and this ledge is so shaped or adjusted that the tension will be applied during the rst downward stroke of the needle. When the tension is applied, the needle during the remainder of its downward stroke will draw the thread through the threadholder, since the resistance offered by the holder to the movement of the thread is less than that offered by the tension devices. The tension applying mechanism is preferably so adjusted that the needle will withdraw substantially all of the surplus thread which extends beyond the threadholder, so that the waste end leading tothe initial needle hole will be comparatively short. The threadholder is preferably so arranged that this waste end will be covered by the stitches of the overseamand willrnot project from the upper surface of the work. As the sewing progresses, the feed of the work will finally' withdraw the extremity of the thread from the holder.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, especially in embodying the invention in a machine of the patent above referred to, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broader features of the inone form of machine in which it may be embodied, what is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, means for automatically severing the thread below the work, and means for holding the severed end portion beyond the needle above the work.

2. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a thread cutter below the work, a threadhol'der above the work, and mechanism for operating the cutter and holder to sever the thread and hold they thread beyond the needle at the' completion of the sewing.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, means for holding the free end of the thread beyond the needle above the work at the beginning of the sewing, and means for automatically 5. A sewing machine having, in combinatlon, stitch-forming mechanism comprising an upper needle an a complementary under thread mechanism, a turret on which the under thread mechanism is mounted, a thread cutter on 'the turret, a threadh'older above the work, and means for operating the thread cutter and 'threadholden v 6; A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism comprising a vertically reciprocating needle, means for severing the needle thread below the work, a

threadholder for engaging the thread end beyond the needle above the work, and

means for causing the needle to draw thread through the holder during' its initial stroke to shorten the waste end held bythe holder.

7. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism comprising a vertically reciprocating needle, means for severing the needle'lthiead below the work, a

threadholder for engaging the severed thread beyond-,the needle above the work, and means for applying tension to the thread during the initial stroke of the needle.

8. A buttonhole sewing machine having,

in combination, a work clamp, stitch-forming mechanism comprising an upper needle and a complementary under thread mechanism, rotary supports in which the stitchforming mechanism is mounted, means for severing the upper thread below the -work at the completionl of the buttonhole and for holding the severed end above the work, and

. mechanism for relatively actuating the about a buttonhole.

stitch-forming mechanism and clamp to sew 9. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a work clamp, stitch-forming mechanism comprlsing an upper needle and a complementary under thread mechanism, a rotary support forthe upper needle, a rotary turret 'in which the under thread mechanism is mounted, a thread cutter mounted on the turret, i a threadholder mounted above the work, mechanism for actuating the holder and cutter to grip and sever the thread'at the completion of a buttonhole, and mechanism for relatively actuating the work clamp and stitch-forming mechanism to sew about a buttonhole. 10. A buttonhole sewing machine having,

- stitch forming mechanism and in combination, a work clamp, stitch-forming mechanism comprising an upper needle anda complementary under thread mechanism, rotary supports in which the stitchforming mechanism is mounted, a threadsevering device below the work, a threadholder above the work, mechanism for relatively actuating the stitch-forming mechanism to clamp and sew about a buttonhole, and mechanism for actuating the threadsevering device 'and threadholder through the relative movement between the stitchforming mechanism and work clamp at the completion of a buttonhole.

ll. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism comprising an upper needle and a complemental under thread mechanism, a thread cutter for cutting the upper thread only .below the work at the completion of the sewing, anda thread holder above the work for holding the end portion of the upper -thread beyond the needle. 1

12. A sewing machine, having, in lcombii nation, a work clamp, stitch forming mechanism' comprising an upper needle and a complemental-under thread mechanism, rotary supports in which the stitch forming mechanism is mounted, means for severing the upper thread only below the work at the completion of the buttonhole and for holdfor severingl the upper,

thread, means or holding the thread end above the work, and mechanism for feeding the'work clamp and rotating the stitch :form- 'ing mechanism to sew about a buttonhole.

EUGENE J. RAY. 

